1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to a connector apparatus used the a measuring apparatus. More specifically, the present invention is directed to such a connector apparatus for a measuring system, capable of outputting an identification code of a sensor to a setting line scanning program by means of a plurality of setting switches contained in this connector apparatus.
2. Description of Prior Art
Conventionally, as represented in FIG. 1, a blood monitoring apparatus has been known from Japanese Patent Application No.4-33372 filed in 1992. This conventional blood monitoring apparatus includes a blood monitoring data transmitter 61 and a blood oxygen concentration monitoring receiver 67. The data transmitter 61 includes a LED 62, a light receiving element 63, an infrared transmitting/receiving circuit 65, a radio transmitter 66, and a transmitting antenna 61a. The blood oxygen concentration monitoring receiver 67 includes a receiving antenna 67a, a oxygen concentration threshold value detecting circuit 68, and a speaker 69 for broadcasting warning of a decrease in oxygen concentration.
When the infrared ray emitted from the LED 62 penetrates through the arm 64 of the human body and then impinges upon the light receiving element 63, the light receiving element 63 transmits wavelength data indicative of variations in the absorption ratio caused by the oxygen concentration in the blood to the infrared transmitting/receiving circuit 65. The wavelength data acquired by the infrared transmitting/receiving circuit 65 is transmitted from the receiving antenna 67a via the transmitting antenna 61a to the blood oxygen concentration monitoring receiver 67.
Upon detection of lowering of the oxygen concentration, the oxygen concentration lowering warning speaker 69 is operated to announce that the oxygen concentration is lowered. The decrease of oxygen concentration caused by the wavelength data is detected by the oxygen concentration threshold value detecting circuit 68 employed in the blood oxygen concentration monitoring receiver 67.
As illustrated in FIG. 2, a liquid sensor is known from Japanese Patent Application No.4-74047 filed in 1992. This conventional sensor has a liquid concentration sensor 71 immersed in a water bath 74 and includes a LED 72 and a light receiving element 73. A liquid concentration judging circuit 76 is connected to the liquid concentration sensor 71 by the optical fiber 75 and a display 77 is connected to the circuit 76.
When the liquid concentration sensor 71 is dipped into the water bath 74 and light is irradiated from the LED 72 into the liquid contained in the water bath 74, the light propagated through this liquid is received by the light receiving element 73. Since the strengths, or intensity of the light received by the light receiving element 73 is directly proportional to the concentration of the liquid, this intensity data is processed in the liquid concentration judging circuit 76, and the processed data is displayed on the display 77.
In this case, when data is produced that a light having a specific wavelength is blocked, or passes through the liquid due to variations in the composition of this liquid, chemical changes of the liquid can be detected.
In general, an optical sensor constructed of either a pair of light emitting element/light receiving element, or only a light receiving element is manufactured in accordance with a desired measurement, and is commercially available.
In such an optical sensor and a measuring apparatus, the optical sensor is designed for a specified measurement, for instance, oxygen concentration in blood, respiration periods, pulse rates, or chemical changes in a specific fluid. The measuring apparatus is exclusively used with such a chemical sensor having the specific measuring properties.
Since there is no standard method of connecting optical sensors with measuring apparatus, a difficult manual connection sequence is performed every time an optical sensor is connected to a measuring apparatus.
Further, calibration is required in correspondence with the measurements to be performed by the measuring apparatus. Other problems include deterioration of measuring precision due to errors in calibration, and correction values must be modified in accordance with the measurements.